News Flash

Mayor Jeff Porter

Mayor Porter Proclaims September 24th “Buy a Tree. Change a Life” Day

Mayor Porter proclaimed Thursday September 24th, Buy a Tree. Change a Life Day for the great work Life Pointe Church and Pastor Travis Johnson have accomplished.

“The council and I appreciate all the great effort you have made to make this program a growing success,” said Mayor Jeff Porter. “We are so proud of the work you are doing and honored to acknowledge your work with this proclamation."

Every year, during the Christmas season, the Life Pointe Church community comes together to raise funds for a good cause by selling Christmas trees, hence the name “Buy a Tree. Change a Life.” It started three years ago with a very moving story. A family that adopted a little girl from Africa was desperately trying to adopt her older sister as well, but couldn’t afford the tremendous costs needed for that adoption. “Buy a Tree. Change a Life” succeeded at raising the money for the adoption and reuniting the siblings.

By selling Christmas trees to raise money to fund the adoption, 450 Christmas trees were sold and $25,000 was raised through the generosity of families in Homestead. Pastor Travis Johnson stated, “Our next goal is to raise $300,000 in the next month, so we can continue to give back and help our community and others in need.”

BUY A TREE. CHANGE A LIFE., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called ForHope.Us was founded to further develop this initiative. Since 2012 “Buy a Tree. Change a Life” has continued to grow, not only in Homestead, but nation-wide. Over 20 churches across the country have adopted the program; as far west as Bend, Oregon and throughout the world, helping children locally and globally. Recently, a national hardware store with 86 locations has committed to the BUY A TREE. CHANGE A LIFE program by selling trees at their locations during Christmas.